Siena Baseball senior Tommy Miller was named as a candidate for the prestigious Senior CLASS Award Friday morning, the organization announced. The Castleton, NY native becomes the just the second player in program history to be named as one of 30 Division I baseball candidates nationally for the honor, joining former teammate Phil Madonna, who earned candidacy last season.

Overall, Miller is the 21st Saint to be a candidate for the Senior CLASS Award since 2010 and the second this season along with softball senior captain Madysen Cossack, who was selected earlier this month.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.

"Tommy is an outstanding student, who is one of the many student-athletes who will go out of their way to help others," said Head Coach Tony Rossi. "He has been a diamond in the rough for our team with the amount of time he has committed to helping his teammates and those around him. He is always very positive, no matter what the situation, and is looked up to and followed by his teammates."

To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.

Miller was named both a First Team All-MAAC and an ECAC Second Team All-Star in 2018 after leading the nation with six complete games on the mound. A two-time MAAC Pitcher of the Week, he tied for the conference lead with a pair of shutouts, while also ranking second in wins (nine), tying for fifth in strikeouts (84) and ranking sixth in ERA (3.70). Including the MAAC Tournament, Miller recording wins in eight of his nine starts against conference foes last spring (including all six of his complete games), while also helping Siena lead the league with a 3.34 cumulative ERA during conference play. In MAAC-only games, he tied for the conference lead in both strikeouts (54) and shutouts (two), while ranking seventh in ERA.

In the community, Miller has been an active, engaged and self-motivated participant in numerous Siena Athletics "Saints in the Community" initiatives throughout his four years. He' along with his teammates, have made several visits annually to cook dinner and spend time with residents at the Ronald McDonald House of Albany, and has also been a part of the Latham Circle TOPPS program, which helps children with disabilities learn how to play soccer.  

An accounting major, Miller entered his final collegiate semester with a 3.34 cumulative grade-point average and is set to graduate in May. He was named to Siena College's Dean's List for the Fall 2018 semester after achieving a 3.66 GPA. Additionally, Miller has served both as a peer tutor and a member of Siena Athletics' student-athlete mentoring program.

From the list of 30 candidates, a national media committee will select 10 finalists for the 2019 Senior CLASS Award later this season. Those 10 names will then be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote. Fan balloting will be coupled with votes from coaches and media to determine the recipient of the award.